[Book] The Ape-King

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Violet
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[Book] The Ape-King

Post by Violet »

The Ape-King

by Peryn Aesthel of the University of Gwylim

There are many strange tales to come out of the wilds of Valenwood, whether or not you believe in the mythical Staff of Clorith, Mistria's vile curse, or the idea that an immortal man will change his hair, height, weight, and even sex seemingly at random. However, one dubious tale I have to tell is one that I can assure you is true.

The Aldmeri Dominion was a powerful force within Tamriel, the united might of Valenwood and the Summerset Isles were enough to repel even the glorious Tiber Septim. Many will tell of the devastation the Tiber Wars caused, as will they gleefully spend hours explaining the significance of the rebuilding of Eldenroot afterwards, but many would simply laugh at the notion of the Great Imga Torgahoor wrestled his way into the position of Aldmeri regent within the Southpoint village of Runcibae.

The regent in charge of the sector, Caginia Gaeal, was a callous and strict officer of the Aldmeri Dominion in charge of the Southpoint sector of Valenwood. While the local Queen ran the day to day operations, Caginia was the one to control the military, medical, and trade functions of the area, as well as to oversee relations with any foreign presence that Queen Mintha Krisilthi might have scheduled. Torgahoor waltzed in while she was in a meeting with Queen Mithna discussing Maormeri piracy. Mithna was understandably offended, but Caginia had found his broken "fanciful" speech adorable. For once in her long life she felt a sense of pride and glee that she had never felt. She was amused to the point where she didn't just listen to the request, but granted it. Torgahoor would then on be an emissary of the Aldmeri Dominion to the village of Runcibae. Treethane Ryafrain Firvull might be the one in charge of Runcibae officially, but he must answer to Torgahoor instead of Mintha.

This wasn't an uncommon practice during the Dominion, but it was a significant one. If a regent is put in charge of your, then it means you are a problem, or could become one, and the only way the Dominion believes they can deal with you - outside criminal charges - is to put you under strict watch and control. In the case of a sub-regent (that is to say, a regent in charge of a lesser sector), this isn't just a commentary on the settlement, but the rule above as well. If Mintha isn't capable of handling Ryafrain, than she must be made to handle him, if Ryafrain is incapable of handling, then he must be handled as well.

Runcibae was a village left untouched by the Dominion, once an important contact point between the Psijics and the outside world, Runcibae had lost favor with Artaeum as the second empire began to crumble. Some say it was the Psijic Order that believed the village to become too attached to the petty politics of Valenwood and the Kingdom of Wasten Dobrulth; Of which the village was under the jurisdiction of at the time. Others, particularly those within the Kingdom of Southpoint, claim it was the Firvull Tribe that broke that connection, under the orders of Wasten Dobrulth, a decision many within their current Kingdom question to this day. But the ways of the Psijics are not the topic at hand, but instead the newfound "King" Torgahoor of Runcibae, much to the displeasure of the Treethane.

King Torgahoor, formerly Vice Esteemed Duke of the Imga state of Gahlilgria had many plans for his rule over Runcibae. His first day in charge of the village, he demanded a throne to be placed on the bark wall of the Treethane's room, above the Treethane's throne. He also proclaimed his first day over the village to mark the annual Torgahoor'kva, or "Festival of Torgahoor". A holiday celebrating the rule of Torgahoor, though today it marks little more than a reminder of the Altmer's flippant nature towards their Bosmeri brethren, an attitude that revitalized itself in the wake of the Simulacrum. It is still celebrated within the Imga settlements of Valenwood, however.

King Torgahoor had ruled the village for 26 years before his death by duel with Treethane Ryafrain Firvull, a duel that is now believed to be facilitated by Queen Mintha herself. However, with word of Tiber Septim's treaty with Morrowind, the Dominion found itself uninterested in petty Kingdom politics with a potential threat on the horizon. Of course, Southpoint's reputation with the Imga states after killing a high profile member of their own would be disastrous for the stability of Southpoint's economic infrastructure, as the Kingdom had come to rely on trade with Gahlilgria and the Orcish and Centauri strongholds and clans that held Torgahoor in high esteem. Fortunately, Treethane Ryafrain decided to step down from his position, electing his son Corsindir to take control of Runcibae. Mintha allowed Gahlilgria to send over a representative to Runcibae in order to maintain a healthy relationship with the Imga, a position that has carried over throughout the third era.

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